One Skillet Roasted Chicken with Peaches and Pesto Rice

Oh my gosh, this one skillet wonder is the bomb! I am not a huge fan of fruit combined with savory (ie. strawberry in salad), so I was a little wary of this one. But the flavor combos totally work! Thanks to Caroline Chambers, this recipe is worth a try. You and your family will love it!

One-skillet Roasted Chicken with Peaches and Pesto Rice

• Ingredients:

• 2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs 

• Kosher salt and pepper

• 2 shallots, thinly sliced

• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 1 1/2 cups white rice

• 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken stock

• 1/4 cup pesto (store-bought!)

• Juice of 1 large lemon (2-3 tablespoons)

• 2 peaches, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

• 1/3 cup thinly sliced basil

• 1/3 cup crumbled feta 

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Warm an ovenproof skillet or saucepan over medium heat. I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet.

Season 2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the skillet. After 3 or 4 minutes, when chicken grease starts to pool up in the skillet, add 2 thinly sliced shallots and 4 thinly sliced garlic cloves around the chicken. Season with a pinch of salt. Use tongs to scooch them around to start sautéing them while the chicken cooks.

When the chicken skin is golden, flip it over and scooch it all to the outside rim of the skillet. If your skillet is totally full of chicken, remove one or two to make room to pour the rice in.

To the empty part of the skillet, pour in 1 1/2 cups white rice, 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken stock, 1/4 cup pesto, and the juice of 1 lemon. Use your tongs to evenly distribute the rice and liquid around the chicken. If you removed a chicken thigh, add it back to the skillet, smooshing it down into the rice and liquid.

Raise the stove heat to high to bring the stock to a boil, then turn off the heat. Place the peach slices over the rice, trying not to put them on top of the chicken so that the chicken skin can get nice and crispy.

Place the skillet on the center rack of the oven and roast for 25 to 30 minutes. Check your chicken and rice at the 25 minute mark. The chicken should be at least 160°F internally, and the rice should be tender (it might look hard on the surface where it was exposed to direct heat, so dig your spoon down in there to check!).

Garnish with 1/3 cup thinly sliced basil and 1/3 cup feta, and dig in!! Serve  chicken over pesto rice with lots of peaches, basil, and feta on top.

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Ratatouille

My husband and I love going to our neighborhood farmers' market on Sundays to buy all the delicious fresh local veggies and fruit and support our local farmers. Last weekend we found beautiful Japanese eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, peppers and basil...which were perfect for this delicious dish. 

In regular ratatouille, the veggies get quite stewed and soft and I searched for a way I could cook the veggies without them losing their form. I forgot I posted a simple Delicious Deconstructed Ratatouille (below) on my blog back in 2013! When I found this similar recipe, I wanted to try it in my cast iron skillet. Although the concept in both recipes is the same, simmering the tomatoes with the peppers and onions into a flavorful sauce and drizzling the finished dish with basil and parsley olive oil puts this dish over the top!

Veggies sliced, topped with herb oil and ready for oven

Ratatouille right out of the oven

• RATATOUILLE RECIPE
•  
• VEGGIES

• 2 Japanese eggplants
• 6 roma tomatoes
• 2 yellow squashes
• 2 zucchinis
• 
  
• SAUCE
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, from 8-10 leaves
• 
  
• HERB SEASONING
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, from 8-10 leaves
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons Chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
• salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 
  
• Preheat the oven to 375˚F 
• Slice the eggplant, tomatoes, squash, and zucchini into approximately ¹⁄₁₆inch rounds, then set aside.
• Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch oven-safe pan (cast iron is perfect) over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, and bell peppers until soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the crushed tomatoes. Stir until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Remove from heat, then add the basil. Stir once more, then smooth the surface of the sauce with a spatula.
• Arrange the sliced veggies in alternating patterns, on top of the sauce from the outer edge to the middle of the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
• Make the herb seasoning: In a small bowl, mix together the basil, garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Spoon the herb seasoning over the vegetables.
• Cover the pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, then bake for another 20 minutes, until the vegetables are softened.
• Serve while hot as a main dish or side. The ratatouille is delicious the next day--cover with foil and reheat in a 350˚F oven for 15 minutes, or microwave to desired temperature.
• Enjoy!

Ratatouille appetizer served on a slice of ciabatta

Ratatouille served over pasta

 

Thai Curry Meatballs

When I saw this recipe on instagram, I was inspired to make it that same day and it was delicious! The generous amount of spices that are included in the meatballs as well as the sauce make it very rich and flavorful. And you gotta love how it takes only about half an hour to make all in one pot!

The meatballs ready to be baked in the oven

The Final Dish

THAI CURRY MEATBALLS

1 pound ground turkey, chicken, or pork

3 scallions, thinly sliced, divided

1/3 cup almond flour/meal

1 large egg

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 1/2 tablespoons curry powder, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, divided

1 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, divided

1 tablespoon Whole30 compatible cooking oil

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk

1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

1 tablespoon coconut aminos

Juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 cups de-stemmed, roughly chopped kale

1 cup green peas (you can use frozen /the fresh bag of TJ's english peas were great)

Preheat oven to 450°F.

In a large bowl, combine ground meat, 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions, 1/3 cup almond flour, 1 large egg, salt,

1 tbsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp ground ginger. Create 10 meatballs and place on an

oiled ovenproof skillet, such as a cast iron. Add the thinly sliced bell pepper and a bit of oil.

Roast for 10 minutes.

Place on the stovetop and add coconut milk, drained tomatoes, 1 tablespoon coconut aminos, the juice of

1 lime, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1 1/2 tablespoons curry

powder. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through.

Stir in the kale and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted. Add the green peas and simmer for another minute

or two, until bright green.

Garnish with scallions and serve over steamed rice or riced cauliflower. Yum!

source: adapted from caroline chambers

Pasta Bar for a Crowd

Pasta Bars are a fabulous way to feed a crowd. When my brother-in-law and his kids came to visit us earlier this summer, this made many of our peeps happy because everyone could tailor the bowls to their taste- some liked pesto, a few preferred Alfredo, some piled on veggies of sauteed mushrooms and steamed broccoli and others had just Italian sausage with red sauce. Having a variety of different styles of pasta made it fun as well. And everyone loved the garlic knots!

Pasta Bar for a Crowd 

• Pasta- I served fresh linguine, fresh ravioli plus dried gemeli (1 pound of each for 9 people with some leftovers)
• Alfredo (you could make your own, but I made it simple with Rana Alfedo)
• Pesto (you could make your own, but I used Rana Pesto)
• Marinara Sauce (I like Rao's Homemade Marinara)
• steamed broccoli
• sauteed mushrooms
• browned Italian sausage
• grated Parmesan
• Garlic Knots

Chicken Shawarma

When our girls came home from college for a few weeks this summer, we invited my parents to join our family for dinner on the deck.  Chicken Shawarma was a huge hit with everyone! The grilled chicken thighs were marinated overnight with a tasty spice mixture and served with homemade tzatziki, warm naan bread, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, romaine lettuce and hummus on the side. Everyone made a shawarma sandwich or bowl tailored to their own tastes by folding chicken and whichever toppings they wanted in the naan bread, or topping their bowl of lettuce with cukes, tomatoes, chicken and drizzled with tzatziki. 

Chicken Shawarma

Marinade Ingredients:

juice of 2 lemons

1/3 cup olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

2.5-3lbs pounds chicken thighs, trimmed

Additional ingredients to complete the meal:

2-3 Persian cucumbers, cubed

1 box cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

naan (warmed in 400 degree oven on an oiled baking sheet, sprinkled with a little water for 2-3 minutes) 

or pita bread

chopped romaine lettuce

tzatziki (recipe below)

hummus

Combine marinade ingredients in large plastic ziplock bag or bowl. Add chicken thighs and marinade for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Grill over medium grill until brown on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side. Slice into thin pieces and serve with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded romaine lettuce, warmed naan, and tzatziki or hummus drizzled on top. Alternatively, you can make a Chicken Shawarma bowl by topping a bowl of romaine lettuce with all the fixings and drizzle with tzatziki. 

Tzatziki

1.5 cups plain Greek yogurt (2% or full fat)
1 medium English cucumber, grated and squeezed of excess moisture
juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (dried works if you don't have fresh)
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in bowl. Serve as a dressing for Chicken Shawarma or as a dip with crudités .

Chicken Soup from Scratch

Chicken soup means comfort and healing, two things we need during these crazy days while the world is reeling.  I just wish I could make a batch of this for all health care workers out there working their hardest to help heal the sick. I tried the  New York Times Cooking version that takes a little more time, but is so worth the flavor at the end.

Ingredients for stock

1 chicken, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds, with skin

3 stalks celery, with leaves, cut into chunks 

2 large carrots, cut into chunks 

2 yellow onions, peeled and halved 

About 1 dozen large sprigs parsley 

About 1 dozen black peppercorns

 2 bay leaves

 2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste 

Ingredients for soup
3 tablespoons reserved chicken fat, more if needed 

3 leeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise, rinsed and sliced crosswise into thin half-moons

3 large carrots, peeled and cut into small dice

Kosher salt and ground black or white pepper

Egg noodles (fresh or dried)

Finely chopped herbs, such as parsley, scallions or dill

1. Place the chicken, celery, carrots, onions, parsnip, parsley, peppercorns, bay leaves and salt in a large soup pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. 

2. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to very low. Adjust the heat until the soup is “smiling”: barely moving on the surface, with an occasional bubble breaking through. Cook uncovered, until the chicken is very tender and falling off the bone, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. 

3. When cool enough to handle, use tongs to transfer chicken from the pot to a container. Taste the broth and continue to simmer it until it is concentrated and tasty. Strain broth through a sieve (or a colander lined with cheesecloth) into a separate container. Discard all the solids from the strainer.

 4. Refrigerate chicken pieces and broth separately for at least 8 hours (or up to 3 days), until a thick layer of yellow fat has risen to the top of the broth.

 5. When ready to finish the soup, use your fingers to separate chicken breast meat from bones and skin. Discard bones and skin. Use two forks to pull the breast meat apart into soft chunks, or use a knife and cut into bite-size pieces. (Reserve dark meat for another use.)

 6. Skim chicken fat from top of broth and set aside. Place 3 tablespoons of the fat in a soup pot with a lid. Add leeks, stir to coat, and heat over medium heat until leeks begin to fry. Then reduce the heat to a gentle sizzle and cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. 

7. Add carrots, sprinkle with salt, stir, and cover the pot. Cook until vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes more. (Keep in mind that vegetables will continue to cook in the soup.) 

8. Pour broth into pot with vegetables and heat to a simmer. Add noodles and simmer until heated through, soft and plumped. Add the breast meat, then taste broth and add salt and pepper to taste. For best flavor, soup should have some golden droplets of fat on top; if needed, add more chicken fat one teaspoon at a time.

 9. Serve immediately sprinkling each serving with herbs.

Broiled Salmon with Thai Chili Glaze

I have always adored Thai food and ever since our family visited Thailand last year, I have tried to recreate dishes we enjoyed on our trip. A recipe I made recently called for Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce (sold at Safeway, so not hard to find) and although very inexpensive, it comes in a very large bottle. Since we had that big bottle left in our fridge, I searched for other ways to use it. This delicious recipe for Thai inspired salmon which calls for Sweet Chili Sauce was so good that I've made it several times, making me very appreciative for our large bottle of sauce!

Broiled Salmon with Thai Chili Glaze

1.5 pounds salmon

• 6 tablespoons Thai Sweet Chili Sauce 
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos for gluten free
• 1 tablespoon peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 
  

1. Set the oven rack 5-6 inches from the top and preheat the broiler.
2. Make the marinade by combining the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce and ginger in a shallow baking dish. Spoon 1/4 cup of the marinade into a small dish and set aside (this will be the sauce for the cooked fish). Add the salmon fillets, skin side up, to the remaining marinade and marinate for 1 hour in refrigerator.
3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the salmon fillet to the prepared baking sheet, skin side down, and drizzle a bit of the marinade over top. Go easy -- you don't want it to pool too much on the baking sheet because it will burn in the oven. Broil the salmon for 6-10 minutes, or until browned in spots and almost opaque in the center. Transfer the salmon to a serving platter and pour the reserved sauce over top. Garnish with scallions and serve.

I delivered some of this yummy salmon with Garlic Collard Greens and Golden Roasted Cauliflower to my parents (of course dropping at their stoop 6 feet away) and they loved it!

Golden Roasted Cauliflower, Garlic Collard Greens and
Thai Chili Glazed Salmon Ready for Delivery

Happy parents with dinner in hand!